Tripping A Flag
by Ethereal Forest
Summary: A short KagamixKonata oneshot. Konata cannot concentrate on studying, so turns to some hastily improvised backup strategies to achieve her mission.


_This is a short KagamixKonata oneshot that I wrote of the back of an idea. I wanted to at least do one story for this pair and had an idea on the train one day which I developed. _

_This is an unofficial fanfic, I no more own Lucky Star than I do the recently discovered Diamond Planet or a lion headed camel. Hope you enjoy :)_

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><p><strong>Tripping A Flag<strong>

It was an unusually warm afternoon in early Spring, filled with the chirping of insects in clumps of long grass and the lazy drift of cotton cloud. Freshly cut grass spread out as a carefully trimmed carpet across Kagami's lawn, dotted haphazardly with purple violets and only interrupted by a circular pine table and a couple of pine chairs. In the far right corner of the lawn a sakura tree provided shade for the two girls beneath it, its wrinkled trunk and snaking branches making it a venerable veteran amongst the modern brick buildings and varnished fences.

Konata wasn't especially interested in the tree at that moment, aside from being continually thankful for its shadowed protection. Nor was she in any way interested in the writhing mass of incomprehensible black ink spread in organised rows before her; it had started to give her a headache about ten minutes back and she had lost interest. Instead she was gazing out across the garden at the small purple flowers.

_They look like gemstones on a quest. One would have to navigate the garden trying to gather all the purple power stones. Ah! The bees would be sentries but then who or what would the game player be?_

"Konata!"

"Eh?"

"Are you even doing any study?" Kagami's voice was firm and grounded Konata in the present; she loved and hated Kagami for being able to do that, it was like her conscience taking on a very real and rather violent form.

Konata frowned, and then pouted.

"I got stuck. Can I copy yours?"

"No!" Kagami said sternly. "You need to be able to do your own. What are you going to do when I'm not around?"

_I can't imagine you not being around. Or rather I have no intention of letting you not be around. _

Konata sighed and glanced at her sheet. The little energy she managed to muster drained out into an ooze of nothingness on the page; swept away by the cool breeze. Her right hand grasped the smooth grey tube of a black biro and proceeded to playfully twirl it between her fingers.

_It's too nice a day for this. But then I've left it all to the last week again so it has to be done. Even if done badly. And there's not much point coming all the way over here if I can't copy Kagami. _

Konata glanced up slyly at Kagami, who was scribbling in her book with a concentrated expression.

_Hmm. Then I'll have to use stealth. Kagami looking so concentrated and trying so hard is cute. Real Life is so much more confusing than a game. I don't know how to set up scenario's and there aren't any save points. But I feel like something bad will happen if I don't move soon. It'll be too late for the Kagami route. I don't want to imagine something as empty as that. _

Kagami broke her concentrated look to stare at Konata, her sixth sense tingling with the 'being watched' feeling.

"What?"

"Eh? I was just thinking how cute Kagami looks when she's working so diligently."

As expected Kagami's face turned a faint red and she glanced away,

"Honestly, if you've got time to...Hey!"

"Chance!" Konata cried happily as she fled across the lawn with Kagami's textbook, trying to memorise the answers as she went. It was only a matter of time after all before she lost the book back to Kagami and copying answers then would be doubly difficult.

"Grrr!" Kagami quickly scrambled to her feet and shot after Konata.

Glancing about the garden, which seemed to have shrunk somewhat, Konata darted round to the far side of the circular table.

_Kagami is faster in a straight line but with my height I can perform turns faster. I f I keep using the table as a shield I should be able to keep her at bay for a while._

Kagami didn't pause, heading clockwise round the table for Konata. Konata set off clockwise, for a few seconds a little tense in case Kagami was actually faster than she had planned for. She wasn't. Konata snickered as she managed to keep half the tables circumference between her and Kagami.

_Perfect. I'll have memorised nearly all of this before...!_

In the blink of an eye Kagami jumped up onto the table, using her right hand to lever up, and was speeding towards her.

_Crap!_

Konata turned to flee but before she'd taken two steps she was jump tackled from behind and dragged to the ground by the taller girl, clutching the open textbook to her stomach with her right hand as her left arm broke the fall. Instinctively she moved from kneeling to lying down to protect the text book. There was a pause in which Konata could just about make out Kagami's short sharp breaths over her own deeper ones, as she stared forwards at one of small purple flowers a few inches from her nose.

"Kaga...Ah!"

Chills ran along the sides of her body as Kagami's fingers began to tickle her mercilessly, making her wriggle and squirm uncomfortably.

"Ahahaha – Stop that Kagami!"

Kagami's right arm reached under her stomach and flipped her over, then tried to seize the book from Konata's weakened grasp as her left hand continued to keep Konata distracted. Konata though was made of stern stuff and kept a vice like grip on the textbook, enjoying Kagami's determined expression.

_Actually it's quite a good view from here – lots of scope for imagination. If only they were a little larger though. Ugh. Sometimes I am a bit too much like my dad. Still I can't just lose the book. Wait! That would be an awesome flag point. I might not get a better chance._

She sat up, so that her face was a few inches from Kagami's with an excited sparkle in her eyes. It was enough for Kagami to stop tickling her for a moment, her own eyes questioning.

"Hmm how about we do a trade for the book Kagami?"

Kagami frowned.

"It's my book!"

"Possession is nine tenths of the law."

"But you stole it!"

"Promise it won't cost much, you won't even have to move."

Both Kagami's eyebrows narrowed. Something problematic idea had clearly formed in Konata's mind. But with her eyes that aglow and seeming so set on the plan she hadn't the heart to say no, so simply nodded.

"Can you close your eyes then?"

"But you'll just run off with the book!"

Konata shook her head and pouted.

"Of course not, I promised an exchange." Konata let go of the book. "See." Kagami glanced down at her textbook, now free of Konata's grasp, and then back at Konata, her expression one of extreme puzzlement; especially as she thought she saw a trace of nervousness in the usually veiled pools of green gazing back at her.

"Okay, very well." Kagami said, clasping the textbook to her stomach with both hands to be sure and closing her eyes.

She heard Konata shift and then a warm breath on her left cheek. Her left eyebrow twitched and she struggled to resist looking. Then several things happened all at once. Two small, firm hands clasped her shoulders, she felt a knee brush against her right leg and a warm soft press against her lips. Then, over in a flash, the press and hands disappeared. Her eyes shot open, wide open.

Konata peered up at her through lidded, unreadable eyes. If Kagami had been paying more attention she'd have noticed a tremble at the corner of Konata's mouth, but she was too distracted.

"Konata What?" She didn't notice that she'd dropped the textbook. It didn't seem important anymore. "Did you?" Her voice came out way too high. "Did you just K-k-kiss me?"

Konata remained expressionless, her eyes scanning Kagami's face closely.

"If I did would you be upset?"

"Yes!" Konata's face dropped. "No! I mean...Arrgh!"

"Which do you mean Kagamin?"

There was no trace of a tease here. Kagami realised in shock that Konata was actually being serious.

"Are you...Do you love me Konata?"

Konata glanced away for a split second and then looked directly at Kagami, determination in her eyes.

"Yes." She tilted her head, "so?"

Now Kagami saw Konata's nerves; Konata's right arm was pulsing in time with the clenching of Konata's right fist. She knew how she could ease that tension, and it felt natural to do so, a happiness welling up in a warming golden spread from her midriff.

_Konata loves me! Do I love her. I don't know but I want to help her._

She bent down and planted a soft kiss back onto Konata's lips, then pulled away blushing as realisation of what she had just done sunk in.

_I do love her!_

Konata's smile returned and redoubled and she pounced on Kagami, snuggling against her with her head resting on her shoulder.

"Ah, Konata!"

"I was so worried you know," she whispered as she fiddled with a strand of Kagami's hair, "that I'd left it too late. That you didn't feel the same way."

"Baka!" Kagami answered as she slipped an arm around the small girl's shoulders. It might have taken a confession to make her aware of how deep her feelings ran for the small blue-nette, but she realised that for a long time now she had been unable to imagine a future apart from her. Looking up at the clear blue sky it was only natural she felt a soaring elation that Konata felt the same; the troubles and worries that came with the warm figure curled up against her could wait until later...

"So Kagami, as we're a couple that means we share and share alike, right?"

Or not.


End file.
